This invention relates to apparatus for measuring the location of reference points on a damaged vehicle and for determining the extent of deviation of such reference points from set or known standards.
Various apparatus or equipment are known for correcting misalignment of vehicles and for returning frame and body members of vehicles back to their predamaged locations. Equipment of this nature is utilized by personnel in body shops and other service and repair shops. Typical of such equipment is the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,360,066 entitled "Apparatus for Returning Vehicle Body and Frame Components to Their Original Locations During Repair and Servicing of Vehicles", issued Dec. 28, 1971, and U.S. Pat. No. Re. 31,636 entitled "Auto Body and Frame Straightening Device", reissued July 1, 1984 on a patent issued June 10, 1975. Both of the referenced patents are incorporated herewith by reference.
The effective use of such equipment in the process of applying pulling forces to a vehicle body is enhanced by various gauging and measuring systems that provide an indication of the magnitude of misalignment or deviation of the component parts of the vehicle body to an operator of the alignment equipment. There are many such measuring systems that have been disclosed in prior art patents including the following:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Title Issue Date ______________________________________ 3,869,804 Friend Vehicle Frame Alignment 3/11/75 Gage 4,165,567 Olsson Checking and Measurement 8/28/79 Device for Automotive Chassis 4,207,681 Bayorgeon, Vehicle Measuring Bridge 6/17/80 et al 4,302,883 MacGregor Vehicle Frame, Body and 12/1/81 Wheel Alignment Gauge 4,342,154 Legrand Measuring Bridge 8/3/82 4,366,624 Bergstrom Arrangement for Benches 1/4/83 for Measuring and Straightening Vehicles 4,479,305 Wendl, Measuring Bridge 10/30/84 et al 4,490,918 Clausen Vehicle Frame Measure- 1/1/85 ment Device 4,513,508 Jarman, Vehicle Body and Frame 4/30/85 et al Measuring Device 4,523,384 Giacomini Method and Apparatus for 6/18/85 Measuring Deviations in Vehicle Bodies or Frames ______________________________________
Typically, the prior art patents disclose a framework which is attached to a vehicle body or to a platform which supports a vehicle body. The framework includes various scales and associated slidable or fixed pointers thereon. The pointers may be aligned with selected reference points of the vehicle body. The distance between a selected reference point and a fixed, known reference point is then measured. If the measured distance varies from known specifications, then the selected reference point is not in the required or standard position. Frame straightening equipment may then be utilized to bend and reform the vehicle body and thereby move the selected reference point to its required or standard position.
The prior art patents generally teach various types or arrays of pointers which are directed or positioned over the selected reference points. Relative differences in the position of the pointers can be utilized to gauge or measure the position of reference points. Additionally, such apparatus may include slidable members or auxiliary gauges which are attached to the framework in a position which permits measurement of reference points at the side and top of a vehicle.
While such measuring systems have proven to be useful, they require significant time to be properly attached to a vehicle. Additionally, many systems are cumbersome because of their multiple component parts. Many measuring systems are limited in their application to certain vehicles because of the particular size or construction of the framework of the measuring system.
Many systems utilize light or laser beams in combination with the framework in order to effect measuring of reference points. Some of these systems have proven to be expensive or fragile.
Thus, a need has remained for an improved apparatus for measuring or gauging the location of selected reference points on a vehicle particularly an apparatus which can be used easily in combination with various types of equipment for straightening of bodies or frames of vehicles.